STEVE Bruce today insisted Blues have realigned their focus to where it matters most - on the pitch.

After a fortnight of headlines revolving around Carson Yeung's refusal to back his new contract, the credibility of the proposed takeover and now Bolton Wanderers lining up Bruce, action on the field has to come first, the manager said.

"That's the most important thing now, the football," he said. "You're not going to see another quote from me on my contract.

"It's now up to other people. I can't influence anything. The one thing that has to happen - at the training ground, amongst the players - is to make sure we are professionals and we do our utmost to make sure we are still in this league next season.

"As for the other (Bolton), it's not for me to comment. I think I've made it clear all along my feelings about this club and that I want to see this job through.

"Ultimately, again, that will be for other people to decide. We have an important match tomorrow and that's what I'm looking at."

Blues are still trying to make arrangements to pin Yeung down about his movements in order to arrange face-to-face talks with Bruce and MD Karren Brady about a host of issues.

He was due to fly over from Hong Kong for tomorrow's match but it appears he may have now changed his mind, which hardly helps ease the current situation.

Blues rejected Bolton's approach for permission to speak to Bruce for their vacant manager's job, as the Birmingham Mail revealed yesterday.

David Sullivan, the Gold brothers and Brady want him to stay as manager.

Yeung's view is not as clear cut and will remain open to speculation until he publicly addresses that and other matters concerning his buy-out.

Back to the players, who will attempt to crack Manchester's 100 per cent Eastlands record.

"Like anyone else, they want stability," said Bruce. "But they have their jobs to do and I'm sure they will get on with it. They can't let anything else that has been going on affect them, nor can I or my staff - and we won't."

Blues have suffered two consecutive losses in the Premier League and Manchester has never been a happy hunting ground for them.

One intriguing decision Bruce has is whether to persevere with Olivier Kapo as a secondary striker, or field a more regular 4-4-2.

Bruce said: "It's that difficult one. It's Kapo's best position but, no doubt at all, we were better when we went with two strikers at Blackburn Rovers, when we were a bit more gung-ho. Then again, that was because we were chasing the game.

"I do have to take into account that we have played well with it. Against Manchester United, we probably gave one of our best performances against a big, big team. Even at Blackburn, we were okay-ish."

Bruce said that compared to pre-match planning in the Championship, he and assistant Eric Black now had to wrack their brains much more.

"When you are planning against the opposition it was relatively easier last season as everyone would come and try to frustrate us. In the Premier League it's slightly different."